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Thaymount
The Thaymount is a chain of volcanic mountains at the heart of Thay. Also know as High Thay or the Plateau of Ruthammar. Some of these volcanos are still active. Access to the region is restricted to Red Wizards. The River Umbar, River Lapendrar, and the River Eltabar all have their source in the soot covered glaciers in these mountains. The mountains also house gold mines, volcanic forges, magical workshops, barracks of Thay's monstrous armies, and the private fortresses of many Red Wizards. Thaymount also refers to the tharch that encompass the entire plateau of High Thay, a second plateau that rests upon the plateau of Thay and is home to the mountain range. Because this tharch is home to Zulkirs and the most powerful Red Wizards, access to the area is strictly controlled. The Thaymount is home to The Citadel, an ancient fortress carved into one of the highest peaks. It predates humans, and is said to have been build by an intelligent race of Lizardfolk. In 1377 DR, Szass Tam established the Thaymount as his seat of power and The Citadel as the capital of Thay. Portal The portal is located in a tunnel complex in the mountains of Thay. Cave-ins and earthquakes buried the portal beneath tons of rubble centuries ago, which is an immense blessing to all mortal beings who would otherwise have to contend with the armies of undead that might one day come spilling out of its inky black maw. It is unlikely that someone would stumble across the portal by accident, though Torin knows of its general location and may one day choose to go searching for it. More likely, the portal would be uncovered by an insane or deluded spellcaster who sought to usurp Zzarka's magical secrets -- or perhaps by a well-meaning paladin looking for a way to mobilize an army against the forces of darkness that dwell within the Negative Energy Plane. In any case, it will take extensive research, as well as access to some of Zzarka's private files that remain in her lab near Lake Thalambar, to uncover the exact location of this most abominable of portals. That is, unless Zzarka herself one day emerges from hiding and uses the portal to unleash a plague of undeath upon the living world. Like Zzarka's other portals, the portal to the Negative Energy plane is keyed to allow only undead spellcasters to activate it. Once it is activated, the portal remains open for 1 full round. Any other creatures that touch the portal during this round are also transported to the Negative Energy Plane. The portal's destination is the city of Death Heart, which is one of the most stable locations in the Negative Energy Plane. Zzarka Tuzarr chose this destination because, unlike most other places in the Negative Energy Plane, Death Heart is virtually guaranteed to be the same from moment to moment. Death Heart is also much less boring and monotonous than the rest of the plane since it has plazas and tall spires built by its former inhabitants. This stands in sharp contrast to the utter void that waits outside the city, and Zzarka found it interesting. After all, if she needed to experience the void, she had only to step outside the city to do so. Meanwhile, within the city, she could amuse herself by participating in the endless warring of undead factions, led by other powerful creatures like herself, or torture mortal travelers unlucky enough to stumble into the plane. In this way Zzarka's relationship to the city of Death Heart -- and to the Negative Energy Plane in general -- is much like that of a mortal person who lives and works in a metropolis because there's something to do, but who also enjoys a jaunt to the country on weekends for the peace and quiet. The only difference is that Zzarka's idea of peace and quiet is a formless void that sucks the energy out of any living thing exposed to it, leaving nothing but a lifeless husk behind. Category:Thay Category:Locations in Thay Category:Locations in Northeast Faerûn Category:Mountains Category:Tharchions Category:Settlements in Thay